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POSITION PAPER ANCHOR CHART

A position paper is one form of an argument essay: it introduces a topic, states a clear claim supported by reasons & evidence, and it strives to be fair to other viewpoints.
Use your position as a lens to gather, sort, and rank evidence.
Rethink your position, then defend it using reasoning & evidence.
Choose your strongest argument and plan how to argue it. Then plan the introduction, conclusion, and the evidence (weigh & rank it).
Write a strong introduction/lead.
- Hook the reader (explain why your argument is significant or provide a compelling fact, statistic, or anecdote).
- Provide specific context (backstory) for your position and other positions.
- Name your position clearly (and possibly state other positions).
- Orient your readers to the overall line of argument you will develop.
- Include a quote or paraphrase an author to add clarity to specific debates or act as an engaging lead.
- Teach about context to angle your argument.
Angle your evidence—explain it fully, showing how it supports the point you want to make.
Choose language deliberately to set the desired tone and support your ideas.
Write a powerful conclusion (restate claim and its significance, offer insights or connections, suggest future thinking/actions).
Acknowledge the strengths and limitations of your position—qualify the conditions under which your argument holds true.
Reconsider if your evidence is the most relevant, significant, and convincing—then fully explain how it is pertinent to your claim.
Attend to craft such as layering detail, using figurative language, making allusions.
Research opposing viewpoints—be fair to alternative points of view.
Envision structural choices as sweeping revision—map your intentions.